As we all know there are several Holidays that are celebrated in the United States. In a strict sense, there are no national holidays in the United States since each of the 50 states has jurisdiction over its own holidays. However, there are ten holidays proclaimed by the federal government, for federal government employees, that are also observed by each state. These ten holidays are:
New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.
Each of these holidays commemorates a specific event in America's history. Below is a brief synopsis of the meaning of why each holiday is celebrated.
New Year's Day- celebrates the end of one calendar year and the start of the new year.
Martin Luther King's Birthday- celebrates the birth of the civil rights leader, is the most recent federal holiday. The law went into effect in 1986; in 2000, the day was finally celebrated in all 50 states.
Presidents' Day- Initially this holiday was known as Washington's Birthday and celebrated the accomplishments President Washington. In 1971, President Richard Nixon combined Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays into Presidents' Day. Presidents' Day is now viewed as a holiday that pays tribute to both Washington and Lincoln, as well as all those who have served as president.
Memorial Day- honors the nation's war dead. It was created to honor those who died during the War Between The States but has been expanded to include all wars.
Independence Day- celebrated on the 4th of July since 1777, and it commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776).
Labor Day-marks the unofficial end of summer. It was designed to celebrate the achievements of workers (labor) in 1882.
Columbus Day- recognizes Christopher Columbus, the man traditionally credited with discovering the Americas.
Veteran's Day- honors all veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Thanksgiving Day- in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving inhonor of the Pilgrims. In 1941, Thanksgiving was sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, on the fourth Thursday in November.
Christmas Day- celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and is the only Congressionally-recognized religious holiday.
Your Assignment:
Your State Senator has appointed you to a National Holiday Committee to respresent the State of Massachusetts in a monumental decision that needs to be made. It has been determined by Congress that we, as a nation, must eliminate one of the above mentioned holidays. Your mission is to write a short persuasive essay on which holiday you believe should be eliminated and why.
Please remember that a short essay should be longer than one or two sentences. An essay should have a thesis statement telling the reader what the essay will be about, and what point you, the author, will be making. In addition you should explain, describe and/or argue your point in the body of your essay and don't forget to write a conclusion to give closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on your topic. Take time ot think about your reponse, be creative and have fun! you may even consider asking other people their opinions about this subject. Don't forget to check your spelling and grammar and when your essay is ready to post, go to the discussion feature on your group page- not this page!
As we all know there are several Holidays that are celebrated in the United States. In a strict sense, there are no national holidays in the United States since each of the 50 states has jurisdiction over its own holidays. However, there are ten holidays proclaimed by the federal government, for federal government employees, that are also observed by each state. These ten holidays are:
Each of these holidays commemorates a specific event in America's history. Below is a brief synopsis of the meaning of why each holiday is celebrated.
New Year's Day- celebrates the end of one calendar year and the start of the new year.
Martin Luther King's Birthday- celebrates the birth of the civil rights leader, is the most recent federal holiday. The law went into effect in 1986; in 2000, the day was finally celebrated in all 50 states.
Presidents' Day- Initially this holiday was known as Washington's Birthday and celebrated the accomplishments President Washington. In 1971, President Richard Nixon combined Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays into Presidents' Day. Presidents' Day is now viewed as a holiday that pays tribute to both Washington and Lincoln, as well as all those who have served as president.
Memorial Day- honors the nation's war dead. It was created to honor those who died during the War Between The States but has been expanded to include all wars.
Independence Day- celebrated on the 4th of July since 1777, and it commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776).
Labor Day-marks the unofficial end of summer. It was designed to celebrate the achievements of workers (labor) in 1882.
Columbus Day- recognizes Christopher Columbus, the man traditionally credited with discovering the Americas.
Veteran's Day- honors all veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Thanksgiving Day- in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving inhonor of the Pilgrims. In 1941, Thanksgiving was sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, on the fourth Thursday in November.
Christmas Day- celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and is the only Congressionally-recognized religious holiday.
Your Assignment:
Your State Senator has appointed you to a National Holiday Committee to respresent the State of Massachusetts in a monumental decision that needs to be made. It has been determined by Congress that we, as a nation, must eliminate one of the above mentioned holidays. Your mission is to write a short persuasive essay on which holiday you believe should be eliminated and why.
Please remember that a short essay should be longer than one or two sentences. An essay should have a thesis statement telling the reader what the essay will be about, and what point you, the author, will be making. In addition you should explain, describe and/or argue your point in the body of your essay and don't forget to write a conclusion to give closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on your topic. Take time ot think about your reponse, be creative and have fun! you may even consider asking other people their opinions about this subject. Don't forget to check your spelling and grammar and when your essay is ready to post, go to the discussion feature on your group page- not this page!